Excavating-machine.



Patented Oct. 7, I902. H. G. BUTLER.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1902.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

/ 2 if 14 ff Omrden Over No. 710,664. Patented Oct. 7, I902. H. G. BUTLER.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1902.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m: NORRIS mans co,, PHu'ro-umo. wnsummn. :1, c4

w w N0. 7"],66 Patepted Oct. 7,1902.

' H. a. BUTLER.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

(Application filed. Feb. 28, 1902. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

rek-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. BUTLER, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO \VILLIAM BUTLER, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 710,664, dated October 7, 1902. g

Application filed February 28, 1902. Serial Natalia. (No model.)

.T rtZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. ilUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the,county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Excavating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in excavating-machines or dredging-machines of the class more especially in which the dredging mechanism is mounted upon a car which travels upon a track at one side of the ground to be excavated, the bucket or scoop being manipulated from the car to perform the dredging or excavating operations. The

machine involves a car or other suitable support, upon which is mounted a tower or mast and a laterally-extending boom, supported by guy-ropes extending from. the top of the mast, and on the free end of which is a sheave, over which extends the traveling scoop-supporting cable. The car is weighted with a boiler and engine and cable-operating drums, and it is necessary that the car-body shall remain steady during the excavating ope1'ations,-but be sufficiently yielding on its bearings when traveling to override unevenness in the tracks without subjecting the machinery to undue jar.

One of my objects is to so construct the car that the car-body will travel without undue jar, but when at rest will be unyielding and free from rocking during the excavation operations. 7

Further objects are to so construct the mast, boom, and scoop-operating mechanism as to give great strength to the parts and render them particularly durable and effective in operation.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of one end of the car, showing the mast, boom, cables, guy-ropes, and scoop in side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 8, an enlarged plan view of the car beneath the platform thereof; Fig. 4, an enlarged end view of the car; Figs. 5 and 6, enlarged broken sections taken on lines 5 and 6 of Fig. 3 and viewed in the directions of the arrows; Fig. 7, a broken section taken on line 7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8, an enlarged section taken on line 8 in Fig. 0, and Fig. 9 a section on line 9 in Fig. 8.

A is the car-body, on which is a platform or support a. The platform rests upon end channel-beams Z) Z), a straight channel-beam c at the rear side, a bent channel-beam c at the forward side, and parallel I-beams (Z intermediate of the end bars I). The beams b c e (Z are secured together at their ends with anglepieces 6 in a manner to render the platformsupporting frame very stout. Near its opposite ends the car-body is mounted upon axles B B and at the center it is mounted upon an axle C. All the axles are provided with, preferably,grooved car-wheels D. The end beams b and intermediate beams d rest near opposite sides -of the platform upon pairs of channel-beams E F. At the channel-beams E the axle C isjournaled in a Urshaped bearing)", as shown in Fig. 8, which bearing rests against the under side of a bearing-plate f between stationary downward-extending angle-iron guide-pieces f f fastened to the inner sides ofthe beams E. The platef rests against the under surfaces of the beams E, as shown in Fig. 9. This bearing for the axle C isunyielding, and similar bearings are provided for the axles B at the beams F F. At the beams F F the axle O is mounted in yielding bearings, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Between and fastened to the beams F F are vertical guides g g, which at their upper ends bear against a plate g, secured at opposite ends to the, adjacent I-beams d d by anglebars g as shown in Fig. 6. Sliding up and down between the guides g g and adjacent surfaces of the channel-beams F F is a bearing-block G, having a U-shaped under side to fit over the axle and a horizontal upper face portion 7L. Between the bearing-block 0 G and plate g is a vertically-movable plate 71. in the socket formed by guides g and adjacent surfaces of the channel-beams F. Between the plates 9 h is a series of coiled springs W, and between the plate 71 and part 5 h of the bearing-block G is a series of coiled springs lbs. The springs 71 72.3 form a resilient support for the platform upon the axle O at one side of the platform, and similar resilient supports and bearings are provided upon the loo axles B B at the beams E. Thus it'will be understood that the car-platform is unyieldingly supported upon the axles B B at the forward side of the car and yieldingly supported upon the axle O at that side, while it is unyieldingly supported upon the axle 0 toward the rear side of the car and yieldingly supported at that side upon the axles B. i In traveling upon tracks X X the yielding bearings will tend to prevent jar upon the car-platform due to any unevennesses in or roughness of the track, and when the car is stationary the stable bearings described will tend to prevent the platform from rocking upon its runninggear. On the outer sides of the wheel D are wrist-pins 71, and all the wheels on each side are connected by means of the connectingrods 1). On the car-platform is a steam-generator Y and suitable engines, which it is not thought necessary to show in the present case. On the upper side of the platform above the axle O is a shaft 75, carrying a gear-wheel It and pinion k The latter meshes with a gearwheel 10 on a shaft 10 which also carries a gear-wheel k meshing with a gear-wheel k on the axle 0, all as shown in Fig. 5. The gear-wheel It is operatively connected with the engine or one of the engines on the carplatform and the car is caused to travel thereby.

The forward edge of the car,formed by bea c,'is angular, as shown, and projects along the center portion some distance outward from that side of the car. Fastened against the outer surface of the beam 0 is a downward-extending plate or sheet 0 bound at its lower edge by a strip of angle-iron c and braced by means of downward extending brackets 0 (See Fig. 4.) The plate 0 operates as a mud-guard to prevent the maierial excavated by the machine from falling against the rnnninggear at that side of the car.

II'is a mast consisting of two parallel side bars or legs H H and a top cross-bar H To strengthen the mast, the legs H are fastened together by tie rods or bars H which cross each other, as indicated in Fig. 2. The mast at its lower end rests in socket-plates I, secured upon opposite ends of the platform at the forward edge thereof. The mast is tipped forward to an angle of seventy to seventy-five degrees and secured in this position by wire cables Z, extending from its upper outer corners to the rear corners of the carplatform.

K is a boom in the form of an A-frame fitting at the end of its legs in the socket-pieces I at the outer sides of the mast-legs.

which may be five in number, at each side, disposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The guy-ropes extend from their points of attachment to the boom-legs to the top bar of the mast in planes, approximately parallel with thelegs of the boom. I thus avoid any tendency to bend the boom inwardly by side at its free end.

Theboom is supported by guy ropes or cables K,

ti e t strain exerted by the guy-ropes. The for ward guy-ropes K may pass through sheaves K fastened to the legs of the boom by bridles K to make the boom hang level. Mounted upon the platform a in the position shown are drums L, M, and N. Secured to the center of the top bar H of the mast is a sheave L. Extending from the drum L over the sheave L is a cable L carrying a sheave L P is a dredging scoop or bucket, which may be of the type shown and described in an application for Letters Patent filed by me December 6, 1901, Serial No. 84,933. The U-shaped body portion 0% of the scoop is hinged at the point m to a supporting-plate m having catch mechanism at its opposite end to engage and release the scoop-body m. The catch is operated by a lever 171 from which extends a rope or cable M" to the drum M. Mounted upon the plate m is asheave m N is a running cable extending from the drum N over the hanging sheave L thence under the sheave m of the scoop, thence around a sheave K on the free end of the boom, and thence to the scoop-body, to which it is secured at the point shown. The cable N forms the support for the scoop P. Fastened to the end of the plate m and extending to the drum N is a cable N The dredge is intended to excavate the ground and mine coal, for example, lying between the mast and free end of the boom and transfer the excavated material to cars oradump,also between the track and free end of the boom.

'In Fig. 1 I have shown a view of coal being mined, with the overburden, spoils-bank, and a car Z, upon which the coal is loaded.

In operation the bucket or scoop is raised and lowered by raising and lowering the sheave L which tensions and slackens the running cable Nand cable N Thus by controlling the drum N the bucket maybe lowered at any'point desired. When the bucket is lowered to the ground, it is drawn along by the cable N to fill itself. Raising or lowering of the sheave L will cause the scoop to move outward or inward by gravity along the running cable N. The drum M may turn with the drum N in a manner merely to pay out and take up the slack in the rope. M. WVhen the bucket arrives above the car Zor spoils-bank, as the case may be, a pull upon the rope h releases the catch and permits the bucket toupset and empty itself. The mast is tipped forward to permit the hanging sheave L to hang freely without guides and swing back and forth. This is a very important feature of thy-improvement, because it permits the sheave L to swing in and out as the scoop or bucketis operated and increases the variations in angles of the running cable N and the facility of moving the scoop by gravity. To illustrate, when the scoop or bucket is at the end of the boom the cable passing from the drum N over the hanging 1 a. fl

sheave and under the bucket-sheave will so pull upon the hanging sheave as to swing it outward and equalize the angles of the cable between the hanging sheave and the drum at the one side and the hanging sheave and the bucket at the other side, and by shortening the distance between the hanging sheave and the bucket it greatly facilitates operation by gravity, because the weight of the bucket on the running part that passes under the bucket-sheave m tends to equalize the angles of the cable between the hanging sheave and the bucket-sheave on the one side and the bucket-sheave and the boom end at the other side. Thus the weighted bucket or scoop running upon the cable N will gravitate toward the end of the boom under a minimum rise of the hanging sheave, and in like manner the bucket will be caused to gravitate freely toward the car under a minimum lowering of the hanging sheave.

In operation the weight of the scoop or bucket alone is sufficient to rotate all the sheaves and the drum N, and by merely raising or lowering the hanging sheave L I am able to send out and return the scoop or bucket without working the engine (not shown) which drives the drum. Thus it is only necessary to employ the engine in raising the sheave L and in filling the scoop or bucket by drawing it along the ground.

While I prefer to construct my improvements throughout as shown and described, they may be variously modified in the matter of details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the claims.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a car-bodymounted upon runninggear, of yielding supportingconnections and stable supporting connections between said body and gear, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a oar-body mounted upon runninggear, .of alternate yielding and stable supporting connections between said body and gear, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a car-body of supporting-axles toward opposite ends of the car-body and an intermediate supporting-axle, wheels upon said axles, unyielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the rear side of the car and between the end axles and carbody at the forward side of the car, yielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the forward side of the car and between the end axles and car-body at the rear side of the car, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a car-body of supporting-axles toward opposite ends of the car-body and an intermediate supporting-axle, wheels upon said axles, unyielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the rear side of the car and between the end axles and carbody at the forward side of the car, yielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the forward side of the car and between the end axles and car-body at the rear side of the car, and car-propelling gear mechanism connected with the-intermediate axle.

5. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a car-body of supporting-axles toward opposite ends of the car-body and an intermediate car-axle,wheels upon said axles, unyielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the rear side of the car and between the end axles and car-body at the forward side of the car, yielding connections between the intermediate axle and car-body at the forward side of the car and between the end axles and car-body at the rear side of the car, car-propelling gear mechanism connected with the intermediate axle and connecting-rods between the car-wheels at opposite sides of the car.

6. In an excavating-machine, the combination of a support, a mast-frame on the support, guys therefor, a boom comprising an A- frame extending from the base of the mastframe, and guys for the boom extending ap' proximately parallel with the legs of the boom to the upper part of the mast-frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an excavating-machine, the combination of the bucket provided with a sheave, swinging sheave L cable supporting the swinging sheave, operating-drum for said cable, outer sheave K running cable extending over said swinging sheave, under said bucketsheave, over said outer sheave K and fastened at its end to said bucket, bucket-drawing cable N an operating-drum for said cables, and supporting means for the drums and for the sheave K substantially as described.

8. In an excavating-machine, the combination of a support, a mast-frame on the sup port, a boom extending from the support, guys therefor extending to the upper part of the mast-frame, power-actuated drums on the support, a sheave secured to the upper central portion of the mast, a cable extending from one of said drums over said sheave, a swinging sheave on the end of said cable, a dredging-bucket provided with a sheave, a sheave mounted on the free end portion of the boom, and a running cable extending from one of said drums over the said swinging sheave, thence under the bucket-sheave, and thence over the sheave at the free end of the boom and connected at its end with the bucket, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an excavating-machine, the combination of a support, an inclined mast-frame on the support, guys therefor, a boom extending from the base of the mast-frame, guys therefor extending to the upper part of the mastfranne, power-actuated drums on the support, a sheave secured to the upper central portion of the mast, a cable extending from one of said drums over said sheave, a swinging sheave on the end of said cable, a dredgingbucket provided With a sheave, a sheave mounted on the free end portion of the boom, a running cable extending from one of said drums over the said swinging sheave, thence under the bucket-sheave, and thence over the sheave at the free end of the boom and connected at its end with the bucket, and a cable connected at one end to the forward side of said bucket and extendingto one ofsaid drums on the support, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth. HENRY G. BUTLER. In presence of- ALBERT D. BAooI, ARTHUR MALDANER. 

